New member looking for something to cover more water

Renegade wrote:I am a Dave Scadden fan,  I have the Detonator LP and I have the Assault (plus a few others)   The Detonator is my favorite of all time.   I do have a Minn Kota 45 motor and I use it for stillwater daily.   The Assault is great too but you are fighting and netting everything off to the side where as the Detonator you are right in front.  I also turn the head of the motor around so it is facing same direction as prop.  It pulls me and I steer with my feet and fins.  Total hands free.  Either or both boats and motors/batteries fit in my Suzuki Grand Vitara.
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Socal Perky wrote:Then if I still wanted more distance in my day, I would just get a kayak and fish from that. Not as small to transport as a tube, easy to handle or move on land. But once you get them in the water you can cover some distance for sure.

SP Dan wrote:In 2014, I purchased a brand new fully-loaded 12’ Hobie Outback with the Mirage Drive. It was fast!!!!!
It was also the first year that they came out with the transducer mounted to the bottom-side of it’s hull.

It was fully loaded and ready to fish live bait!

The things I didn’t like, hence I sold it were:

It was way too heavy to carry around, it constantly got wind-blown, the hull was too noisy, I didn’t care for my legs being on-top and straight-ahead of me; instead of down like on a chair or a FT, and my lower-back was constantly sore.

And the main reason is ..... kayaks will roll!!!
Bye bye to all gear!!!!

HNTFSH wrote:

Socal Perky wrote:Then if I still wanted more distance in my day, I would just get a kayak and fish from that. Not as small to transport as a tube, easy to handle or move on land. But once you get them in the water you can cover some distance for sure.

Agree with your progression of mobility but I'd never trade a tube for a kayak.  I see guys, even on really small water, zipping around with their kayak but most seem to spend more time with paddle in hand than a fishing pole.  Slightest breeze blows boat, sitting still to cast a structure almost impossible.

I personally decided years ago if I need to move around fast, have a tackle box, multiple rods, cooler, etc. I'd use a real boat.  

I learned a long time ago the benefit of fishing slower and more thoroughly in fresh, smaller water or larger water with the correct launch point.  And most of the best spots to fish don't have drive-up parking lots.

To each their own but I've met quite a few guys more interested in equipment than actually catching nice fish.    

Socal Perky wrote:

HNTFSH wrote:

Socal Perky wrote:Then if I still wanted more distance in my day, I would just get a kayak and fish from that. Not as small to transport as a tube, easy to handle or move on land. But once you get them in the water you can cover some distance for sure.

Agree with your progression of mobility but I'd never trade a tube for a kayak.  I see guys, even on really small water, zipping around with their kayak but most seem to spend more time with paddle in hand than a fishing pole.  Slightest breeze blows boat, sitting still to cast a structure almost impossible.

I personally decided years ago if I need to move around fast, have a tackle box, multiple rods, cooler, etc. I'd use a real boat.  

I learned a long time ago the benefit of fishing slower and more thoroughly in fresh, smaller water or larger water with the correct launch point.  And most of the best spots to fish don't have drive-up parking lots.

To each their own but I've met quite a few guys more interested in equipment than actually catching nice fish.    

Good points. When I was using my kayak I was also hoop netting off it. Since I stopped hooping and going offshore it’s sorta a meh for me now. I do agree 100% about working a precise area in a tube, nothing beats it that I’ve tried. I’m sure a kick boat might work and some other designs as well, but a kayak if there’s a current or breeze going holding positions can be a challenge.

I agree with getting caught up in all the gear instead of catching fish. My gear is old, I’m old but that’s ok too.

SP Dan wrote:Oh ... and when I designed and built (DDIY) my newest wooden lap-tray ... this was the winner! ... my over-the-top winning deal maker for me!!!
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On my Cumberland float tube I’ve got (2) large zippered storage pockets, (1) back-side-of-backrest, full mesh pocket and (1) pocket at the top of the seat for my American flag to wave and now I have all of this flat-surface-area to work on, to eat on, to set my Bluetooth ALTEC speaker on ... ect. on and to also place and measure all my catch’s-on, using my DIY built-in fish measuring-tape with bump-board.

SP Dan wrote:This might be helpful to a lot of people out there fishing largemouth bass who don’t like to hang to weigh your fish!

I don’t like to hang to weigh my Halibut because; a large fish’s-weight can break their jaw-bone or damage their gill plates, and I always plan to release them alive and well.

Their links are the most important to me, their weights are secondary.
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HNTFSH wrote:

SP Dan wrote:Oh ... and when I designed and built (DDIY) my newest wooden lap-tray ... this was the winner! ... my over-the-top winning deal maker for me!!!
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On my Cumberland float tube I’ve got (2) large zippered storage pockets, (1) back-side-of-backrest, full mesh pocket and (1) pocket at the top of the seat for my American flag to wave and now I have all of this flat-surface-area to work on, to eat on, to set my Bluetooth ALTEC speaker on ... ect. on and to also place and measure all my catch’s-on, using my DIY built-in fish measuring-tape with bump-board.

I've seen your catches I know you are after the fish.  But if you were on a farm pond or quarry with a blue tooth speaker playing I would sink your boat. :-)

BTW - water was 53 degrees today at surface.

desmobob wrote:Hi folks,

I just registered here.  I'm a long-time stillwater float tuber.  I currently have my first tube, a very old Browning Predator, my favorite tube, an Outcast FatCat, and a backpacking tube, a Wilderness Lite Backpacker Pro.  

I keep the old Browning around as a loaner.  I have yet to use my Backpacker Pro other than a short test.  I hope to do some  hiking to the ponds with it this spring.  The Browning and the Outcast were both chosen due to their capacity.  I'm 6'2" and 250lbs.

I really enjoy my Outcast, but wish I had something that could cover more distance easier and still fit in my Subaru Forester.  I started looking at the Outcast Stealth Pro and the OSG Commander, the the Scadden Assault XR and Zonker Lo Pro.

I realized I don't know the intended preferred uses for the open-front vs. enclosed hull craft.  Is one designed for moving water and one for still water, or is it just a preference thing?

Thanks for any insights on design types and brands/models I hadn't considered.

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Bob